How to Spot and Avoid Puppy Mill Breeders

Mike SagmanImage: dogfoodadvisor.com

Recipient of the US Army Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service, Captain Mike Sagman previously served as a dentist for the army while based in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He has since founded The Dog Food Advisor, an online publisher of independent ratings and reviews of dog food brands. Passionate about animal welfare, Mike Sagman is a longtime supporter of organizations such as Best Friends Animal Society, which encourages pet lovers to steer clear of puppy mills.

Puppy mills are basically puppy factories. They are commercial centers for dog breeding where profits are made from the sale of puppies. In these centers, dogs live in extra small enclosures, are fed substandard food, have no access to decent medical care, and are deprived of human contact, all in a bid to cut costs and maximize profits. By buying a puppy from a puppy mill, you are supporting the operations of these inhumane centers.

Puppy mill breeders often sell puppies on the Internet. All they have to do is make a website, take adorable photos of puppies, and wait for orders from unsuspecting pet lovers.

Regardless of how convincing the site looks, it could be a puppy mill affiliate. There is no guarantee that a “We are not a puppy mill” proclamation is genuine. Be especially cautious of sites that offer to ship puppies to you.

Puppy mill breeders also use newspaper classified ads to sell puppies. Be cautious of ads that list numerous breeds available. Also be cautious when the breeder opts to meet you away from where the puppies are actually raised.

A good option to own a pet is adoption. You can do this through local pet shelters or through genuine websites such as petfinder.com and adoptapet.com.